Marist Society of Professional Journalists Wins Chapter of the Year Honors

In only the second academic year since reactivating its charter, the Marist College chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was named the Campus Charter of the Year for Region 1 in 2015. The organization will present the Marist chapter's leaders with the official award certificate at the 2015 Excellence in Journalism conference in Orland, Florida in September.

SPJ's Region 1 encompasses much of the northeastern United States, from Central and Eastern Pennsylvania up through Maine. Other colleges and universities with active chapters in the region include Boston University, The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Rutgers University, Syracuse University, Penn State University, and Columbia University.

Rebecca Baker, Region 1 Director of SJP, wrote that the Marist chapter "rose to the challenge and produced a flurry of impressive programs and events that promote SPJ's mission."

In 2014 - 2015, under leadership of chapter President Alex Spiess, '15, Marist SJP brought to campus filmmaker and journalist Sebastian Junger for a screening of his documentary tribute to his friend the late photojournalist Tim Hetherington. SJP also organized newsroom tours of Democracy Now!, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Daily News and hosted a series of grammar and punctuation workshops open to the entire campus.

"This is a traffic and well-deserved honor, which recognizes Marist's journalism students who are already making a difference in the profession," said Assistant Professor of Communication Kevin Lerner, the chapter's faculty adviser.